Fixed compensating loft golf club head

ABSTRACT

The striking face of any golf club, except a putter, is to incorporate a face loft angle that is fixed, but varies from the toe to the heel and is more lofted toward the heel than at the toe. 
     The purpose is to mitigate the error in ball trajectory that is caused when the ball is struck some distance from the center of gravity of the club head face.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The subject invention relates to the striking face of any golf club headexcept a putter.

2. Prior Art

When a golf club strikes the ball at any point, some distance from theclub face center of gravity, a twisting will occur that causes errors intrajectory, direction and distance.

Past solutions to this problem have focused on rearranging or adding tothe weight of the head or the use of stiffer shafts. However, the weightof the head is limited by the golfers' ability to swing it properly andthe re-arranging of weight is limited by structural strengthconsiderations. Stiffer shafts help some golfers, but no shaft canprevent twisting when the forces reach the hands of the golfer. Stiffshafts also create a heavy "feel" that does not suit all golfers.

The above solutions to the problem, while imperfect and possessing somedisadvantages, are nevertheless useful to some golfers. The subjectinvention does not preclude the use of these partial solutions but maycomplement their use or be utilized in their absence.

Club heads that are adjustable or incorporate moving parts do notconform to the rules of the game.

There is no known club head, the face loft angle of which is fixed yetvaries along the breadth of the face, as does the subject invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The subject invention is a golf club head, or modification or addendumthereto, the striking face of which incorporates a loft angle thatvaries, in continuous but not necessarily consistent fashion, from thetoe to the heel of the club face, and being more lofted toward the heeland/or less lofted toward the toe, than at the center.

The object is to mitigate the normal tendency of the club face to pointdownward, or lose loft, when struck toward the heel, and conversely, topoint upward and gain loft when struck toward the toe.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a club head incorporating the subject invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial top view of a conventional club head.

FIG. 3 is a face view of a club head that may or may not incorporate theinvention.

FIG. 4 is a toe end view of a club head incorporating the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The face of every golf club, except the putter, is at an angle to theshaft. As measured by standard industry practices, this is called the"loft" angle. This angle determines the trajectory of the ball and thusthe distance.

The subject invention embodies a striking face, the loft angle of whichvaries from the toe to the heel of the club head face, and being oflesser loft toward the toe, as in FIG. 1,a, and/or greater loft towardthe heel, as in FIG. 1,c, than at the center, as in FIG. 1,b. FIG. 4,i,j,k, represents the loft angle at the heel, center, and toerespectively. FIG. 2, a partial top view of a conventional club head,shows the constant loft of a conventional club head. This constant loftis characteristic of conventional irons as well as woods.

The shaft of any golf club, being attached at an oblique angle at theheel, as in FIG. 3,d,creates a hinge action that causes the face topoint more nearly downward and lose loft when struck away from the clubface center of gravity and toward the heel. See FIG. 3,e. Conversely,when struck toward the toe the club face will point more upward and gainloft. See FIG. 3,f.

The subject invention mitigates this effect by incorporating acontinuously compensating loft across the breadth of the club head face,resulting in a more nearly constant loft angle when the golf ball isstruck toward the heel or toe of the club face. In addition to improvingtrajectory, the increased contact pressure caused by the blunter angle,occurring on toe hits, aids in imparting the desired spin on the ball,thus improving direction. See FIG. 4,k.

The invention can be applied to some existing golf club heads by theaddition or removal of material therefrom.

As applied to club heads that normally have a curved face, commonlyknown as "woods" or "metalwoods":

As measured on a horizontal plane, these club head faces have a convex"bulge" curve, the purpose of which is to compensate for clockwise orcounter-clockwise spin caused when the club face meets the ball to theleft or right of its center of gravity. Disregarding vertical planecurvature, known as "roll", the face of a conventional club head, fordrafting purposes, may be said to be generated by the surface of acylinder, or similar solid, the axis of which is at an angle to theshaft equal to the designated loft angle when viewed from the toe end,and perpendicular to the ground when viewed from the face, as in FIG.3,g. This may vary somewhat, as some clubs have a face angle that isopen or closed which will cause the axis to appear tilted when viewedfrom the front.

The subject invention requires that the face surface be generated, fordrafting purposes, by a solid of curved surface, the axis of which isdistinctly not perpendicular to the ground when viewed from the face,but is leaning away from the shaft as in FIG. 3,h, so the axis will bediagonal to the face. The axis may or may not intersect the face.

The shape of the generating solid need not be cylindrical but may varyin cross section and longitudinally to adjust the rate or amount ofcompensation desired. For instance, more compensation might be desiredtoward the toe than toward the heel. Factors that bear on the propershape and location of the generating solid include location of center ofgravity, total weight, shaft stiffness and lie angle of the particularclub.

The invention as applied to clubs that are normally flat on the strikingface:

At present the "Rules of Golf", as promulgated by the U.S.G.A. requirethat the striking face not be concave. In order to meet this requirementit will be necessary to incorporate sufficient "bulge" or "roll" intothe face to overcome the inherent concavity created by forming a facethat imbodies this invention. Otherwise, the application of theinvention is similar to the above description of normally curved clubface heads.

The best application of the invention is relative to the less loftedclubs because their lesser head weight and less upright shaft attachmentcontribute to instability on miss-hits.

Manufacture of club heads that embody this invention would be by similarmeans as is presently utilized in the absence of this improvement.

The "loft angle" referred to throughout is taken to mean degrees fromperpendicular of the face when the shaft is in the playing position andperpendicular to the ground when viewed from the toe. See FIG. 4,i,j,k.

To have a substantial effect, the amount of variation in loft, from thetoe to heel, should equal or exceed 5°, or a minimum of 3° variationfrom the face center of gravity to the toe or heel. The optimumvariation from toe to heel depends on the inherent instability of theclub head, with 8° to 14° of variation being suitable for a driver. Inthe case of a highly unstable head, such as a wooden headed driver witha low center of gravity mounted on a light shaft, the best loft anglemight be negative at the toe end of the face.

I claim:
 1. An improved golf club head, wherein the improvementcomprises a striking face, the loft angle of which varies from the toeto the heel of the club face, and being significantly less lofted at thetoe than at the heel, the purpose being to maintain a more nearlyconstant loft angle when the golf ball is struck toward the heel or toeof the club face.
 2. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein theimprovement is incorporated into a club head normally described as a"wood" or "metalwood", and the loft angle of which varies a minimum ofapproximately 5° from the tow to the heel, but may vary more, and beingless lofted at the toe than at the heel.
 3. A golf club head as definedin claim 1, wherein the improvement is incorporated into a club headnormally described as a "wood" or "metalwood", and the loft angle ofwhich varies a minimum of approximately 3° from the toe to the center ofthe face, but may vary more, and being less lofted at the toe than atthe center.
 4. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein theimprovement is incorporated into a club head normally described as a"wood" or "metalwood", and the loft angle of which varies a minimum ofapproximately 3+ from the heel to the center of the club face, but mayvary more, and being more lofted at the heel than at the center.
 5. Agolf club head as described in claim 1, wherein the improvement isincorporated into a club head normally described as an "iron", and theloft angle of which varies a minimum of approximately 3+ from the toe tothe heel of the club face, but may vary more, and being less lofted atthe toe than at the heel.
 6. An addendum to a golf club headcomprising:a face plate attachable to the striking face, said face platehaving a loft angle which varies from the toe to the heel of the clubface, and being significantly less lofted at the toe than at the heel,the purpose being to maintain a more constant loft angle when the golfball is struck toward the heel or toe of the club face.
 7. An addendumto a golf club head as defined in claim 6, wherein the club head is onenormally described as a "wood" or "metalwood", and the loft angle ofsaid addendum face plate varies a minimum of approximately 5° from thetoe to the heel, but may vary more, and being less lofted at the toethan at the heel.
 8. An addendum to a golf club head as defined in claim6, wherein the golf club head is one normally described as a "wood" or"metalwood", and the loft angle of said addendum face plate varies aminimum of approximately 3° from the toe to the center of the face, butmay vary more, and being less lofted at the toe than at the center. 9.An addendum to a golf club head as defined in claim 6, wherein the golfclub is one normally described as a "wood" or "metalwood", and the loftangle of said addendum face plate varies a minimum of approximately 3°from the heel to the center of the club face, but may vary more, andbeing more lofted at the heel than at the center.
 10. An addendum to agolf club head as defined in claim 6, wherein the golf club is onenormally described as an "iron", and the loft angle of said addendumface plate varies a minimum of approximately 3° from the toe to the heelof the club face, but may vary more, and being less lofted at the toethan at the heel.
 11. A method of modifying the striking face of a golfclub head, comprising;shaping the striking face so that the loft anglevaries from the toe to the heel of the club face, and beingsignificantly less lofted at the toe than at the heel, the purpose beingto maintain a more nearly constant loft angle when the golf ball isstruck toward the heel or toe of the club face.
 12. The method of claim11, wherein the club head is one that is normally described as a "wood"or "metalwood", and the loft angle of said striking face is varies aminimum of approximately 5° from the toe to the heel, but may vary more,and being less lofted at the toe than at the heel.
 13. The method ofclaim 11, wherein the club head is one that is normally described as a"wood" or "metalwood", and the loft angle of said striking face isvaried a minimum of approximately 3+ from the toe to the center of theface, but may vary more, and being less lofted at the toe than at thecenter.
 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the club head is one that isnormally described as a "wood" or "metalwood", and the loft angle ofsaid striking face is varied a minimum of approximately 3° from the heelto the center of club face, but may vary more, and being more lofted atthe heel than at the center.
 15. The method of claim 11, wherein theclub head is one that is normally described as an "iron", and thestriking face is varied a minimum of approximately 3° from the toe tothe heel of the club face, but may vary more, and being less lofted atthe toe than at the heel.